December 2011

I had to preach, and I wasn’t expecting to do so. I’d been looking forward to having our scheduled volunteer lay ministers come. Most Sundays various outside guests will visit with us, and one of them would also give the main sermon. But today, for unknown reasons, our guests never arrived.Nevertheless, the service had to go on. So we began promptly at ten o’clock. One man gave the weekly announcements. Another opened the service by leading the congregation in public prayer, and he was followed by one of our elders who gave us a challenging exhortation to maintain our faith, which was followed by our choir who began to lead us in a time or praise and worship.But for me, as I sat on the platform at the front of the chapel, in addition to being able to see everyone’s faces, I was also able to see the big clock that’s fastened to the chapel’s back wall. I watched as it quickly ticked away: 10:15, 10:30, 10:45. And when the hands of the clock signaled 10:45, I knew the inevitable. I would have to give the sermon. Our guests were obviously not coming.Therefore, after the choir sang their final song and returned to their respective seats, I nervously walked up to the podium. I placed my Bible on it and told the men that because our volunteers were not here, I would give them a message. First, however, I asked the congregation to join me in the prayer that God would give me the ability to deliver the sermon as this is no small task. And my prayer was answered.I opened my Bible to Psalm 23 and presented a message which I titled, “Jesus Knows Me Better Than I Know Myself.” It was a spur-of-the-moment sermon, but the Lord came through. The words began to flow out of me. We went through the psalm, verse by verse, and I tried to explain what each verse meant. I told them what roles a shepherd must play in taking care of his sheep. What was meant by leading the sheep to green pastures and beside still waters, and what it also means to, as the fourth verse declares, to walk through the valley of the shadow of death, plus much more.Through this experience the Lord taught me an important lesson as well. That I need to trust Him more. After all, the Lord has promised that when I open my mouth to speak for Him, to represent Him as one of His ambassadors on earth, that He will put His words in my mouth (Psalm 81:10). And He did just that! It was not easy to stand before a congregation of prisoners and preach. Yet God sustained me. I’m thankful.D.B.